This little town came into existence in 1907 when the J.C. Rorie Road was built. The town was named for the John Holder and Eli Callicutt families, taking the first three letters of the name Holder and the last four letters of Callicutt, dropping on “t”, it became Holcut.

Mr. John Martin was the first merchant, Dr. T.P. Haney, Sr., the first doctor. The post office was located at the Moser place, but later moved in 1907. John W. Martin was postmaster in 1908. There was once a cotton gin owned and operated by Bill Belue, a blacksmith shop owned by Lake Seago and a gristmill owned by Percy Seago.

Holcut’s church history began with Sardis Missionary Baptist Church. Later, Cross Roads was organized. G.N. Grimes was the first member. New Lebanon Church was build soon after the Civil War and used by all denominations. This building served its purpose for almost 50 years. In the same community a new church known as Lebanon Freewill Baptist Church was built and still serves the area.

A country store owned by Claude Chase was the business and gathering center for those living close by. Later that year a railroad depot was built for trains to deliver mail and merchandise as others stores began to open. As the town progressed a United States Post Office was built. Coleman Helton, just returning from serving in WWI, bought the Chase business and added to it a general store that sold everything from horseshoes to dress material.

Section houses were built by railroad officials for families of some of the men working on the railroad. In addition, Mr. Helton built several small houses for others, charging only a minimum amount, to help build the community. Its scattered houses were typical of this section-log walls, covered with siding, dog trot, and mud chinked chimneys. There was a cotton gin owned and operated by Bill Belue, a blacksmith shop owned by Lake Seago and gristmill owned by Percy Seago, and a barber shop operated by Jack Bobo.

Holcut had a school comprised of students from other communities in the area. However, time took its toll, because students started going to nearby towns, the school was closed in 1960.

The post office was closed, thus helping end an era of closeness for this small town. Mail was then delivered by rural route.

The Tennessee-Tombigbee Canal had been in the works for many years. Now, it was becoming a reality. People were forced to sell their homes to the government and move. Because there was no bridge crossing the canal at Holcut, it left the highway dead ending on both sides of the water. Many could not attend the church they belonged to without going miles out of the way. The bridge was previously crossed over the railroad was also moved. Holcut was gone!

When the Tennessee Tombigbee Waterway went through, it wiped Holcut off the face of the earth. We all know towns that just died out, but they removed Holcut, dirt and all. The place simply does not exist anymore. You can’t even get there. The road is gone and the railroad was moved.

Times change, thing change. They took our town, our homes and businesses, but they could not take our memories. In return, they built a small memorial to Holcut as the only town completely obliterated by the Tennessee Tom.

Submitted by Edna E. (Helton) Fuller.